Method and apparatus for registering superimposed printings



May 19,1942, w. STEINBACH 2,233,537

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING SUPERIMPOSED PRINTINGS Filed April3, 1941 ZShGG'tS-Shet .1

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y 19, 1942- w. STEINBACH 2,283,587

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING SIiPERIMPOSED PRINTINGS Filed April3, 1941 Sheets-Sheet 2 600 coo g) 000 o 0 0M0 0 oOoOoOoOoOoOoO0\ v l a3,e 27 :flllz; Ii; 32 a? 32 #WW/ I A 30 32 2x 4* IINVENTOIR. Wu'nerflezl'zbadz,

Patented May 19, 1942 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGISTER- ING SUPERHWOSEDPRINTINGS Warner Steinbach, Maplewoo'd, N. J. Application April 3, 1941,Serial No. 386,600

7 Claims.

The present invention is concerned with multicolor printing and, moreparticularly, with registration of superimposed printings of differentcolor.

It is well known that, in the present day multicolor printing processesinvolving the use of a plurality of master plates and of electrotypesmade therefrom, the fine adjustment or alignment of successive andcomplementary printings to insure their proper positions in the finalreproduction, requires an enormous amount of time and extraordinary careand skill. When conditions make such care and expenditure of time alongthe whole side of the base I, and the other one, 2, stopping short ofthe ends; 3 is an alignment plate pivotally attached to the threadedbolts 4 which pass through openings in the bearing blocks '5, providedwith slots 6 for the knurled nuts 1. The bolts 4 are pivotally held inthe alignment plate 3 by pins 8, and the ends of the bolts '4 areprovided with a limited degree of freedom owing to the elongated shapeof the openings 9 in the plate 3. Over the base I lies a transparentsheet l provided with a network of longitudinal, parallel lines II andparallel,

cross lines I2, these lines being interrupted at impossible, the resultis a sloppy appearance and an overlapping of colors. It is the object ofthe present invention to attain perfect registration of superimposedprintings with a substantial saving of time and with uniform accuracy.It is also an object to produce an apparatus requiring only ordinaryskill to effect the desired correct registration. It is further anobject to accomplish these results with a simple and inex-- pensiveapparatus. Other objects will become apparent from the specificationwhich follows and from the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the marking and registering device forminga part of the present invention. V

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same device.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is a detail showing the marking punch used in connection with thedevice illustrated in Figs. 1-3.

Fig. 5 is a topplan view of a master plate as well as of an electrotypemade from it. The wooden block on which the master plate is mounted isnot visible in the top plan view.

Fig. 6 is the same electrotype, broken off, with holes drilled throughthe markings shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a detail showing the alignment pins used in connection withthe assembly plate shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the assembly plate with electrotypesarranged thereon in proper alignment. Fig. 9 is a cross section takenalon the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a similar cross section for a modified form of the clampsused to secure the electrotypes to the assembly plate.

Referring to the figures in detail, I is the'base of the registering andmarking device forming a part of the present invention; 2 and 2 are sidewalls, one of them, namely 2', extending certain portions of the sheetfor a reason exparallel to the base I, by clamps l3 riveted insupporting plates I 4, H1, at a distance from the base I allowing theintroduction of a master plate 24 (mounted on a wooden blockin the wellknown manner) between the base I and the sheet Ill. The master plate 24is set on the base I and aligned with the help of the network of lines-ll, I2, and the alignment plate 3. The above mentioned interruptions inthe network of lines, H, l2, are of assistance in making this alignment.I

A cross bar I5 is secured to the side walls 2, 2'. Threaded in thiscross bar I5 are tightening screw bolts it (three such screw bolts beingshown in the drawing) for holding the master plate 24 in position afteralignment. In order to prevent injury to the master plate by the screwbolts l6, they are provided with cups 11 free to turn on them, a blockof rubber or any other material softer than the metal of the masterplate, I8, being inserted in the cup I! and forming a press fittherewith. A second cross bar l9, hereinafter referred to as the markingbar, is secured to the side walls 2, 2, and is provided with a series ofequally spaced holes 20, of equal diameter, adapted to receive a markingpunch 2|. The marking punch 2| has, at

its bottom, a conical marker 22 ending in a sharp point and shoulders 23to limit the depth of the punch and to better define the center shown inFigure 5, and denoted by the numeral 25. These markings 25 of the masterplate are faithfully reproduced on the electrotypes, always in the samecorrect and definite relation to the configuration on the master plate.Now, holes 26 are drilled through the electrotypes at the reproducedmarkings, after which the electrotypes are arranged in predeterminedpositions on the assembly plate 21, by registering the holes 26 with apredetermined set of holes 28 of the assembly plate 21. The holes 26 and28 are of exactly the same diameter, and the distance between the twoholes 26 in the electrotype is the same as or a multiple of the distancebetween two consecutive holes 28 in the assembly plate 21. As to theassembly plate 21, it is provided with a multiplicity of equally spacedholes 28 of equal diameter, forming a coordinated system of referencemarks. To keep the electrotypes in their aligned positions, alignmentpins 29 are inserted into the registered holes. To facilitate thisoperation, the lower portion 30 of the pin 29 is of a somewhatsmallerdiameter than the upper portion, 3|, which is of the same diameter asthe holes 26 and 28, as is particularly clear from Figures 9 and 10. Inaddition to the system of holes 28, the assembly plate 21 is providedwith smaller, threaded holes 32 to receive the screws 33 of the holdingclasps 34, either of the eccentric type shown in Fig. 9, or of theshoulder type shown in Fig. 10. In either case, the clasps permit ofadjustment before they are tightened. It should be noted that thespacing of the holes 28 is the same as the spacing of the centers of theholes 20.

The method of operation will now be illustrated in the case of a twocolor job. This involves the use of two master plates which we willdenote by th symbols #I and #2, one for printing in, let us say, red,the other for printing in blue. Master plate #I is inserted between thebase I and the transparent sheet I0, Fig. 1. It is aligned sidewise bymeans of the alignment plate 3 manipulated by the knurled nuts 1 of thethreaded bolts 4. The master plate now rests slidingly against thealignment plate 3 and is aligned in the up and down direction by hand.We now pick out some portion common to both master plates #I and #2 anddetermine its position on the base I with reference to the lines II, I2of the transparent sheet I0, so that the corresponding common portion ofmaster plate #2 can be oriented on the base I in exactly the sameposition. The master plate #I being now properly and definitely aligned,it is made fast on the base I by tightening the screw bolts it. Then themarking punches 2I are inserted in two of the holes 26 of the markingbar I9 and are given light blows with a hammer. This will mark themaster plate with the reference indices 25 (Fig. 5). The screw bolts I6are now loosened, releasing the master plate #I which is removed fromthe base I, and electrotypes are made from the marked master plate #I,in any desired number, and identified here as electrotypes #I. Thereference indices 25 of the master plate #I will be faithfullyreproduced on the electrotypes #I. I-Ioles are now drilled in theelectrotypes #I through the markings 25, of a diameter equal to thediameter of the holes 28 in the assembly plate 21. Now as many of theseelectrotypes as the size ofthe assembly plate 21 allows and as isdesired are arranged on the assembly plate 21 in positions determined bythe desired appearance of the complete printed image. They are proper-1y aligned by registering the holes 26 with holes 28 corresponding tothe predetermined positions of the electrotypes on the assembly plate21. This alignment is held fast by inserting the pins 29 into theregistered holes. While the electrotypes are thus held fast, the clamps34 are screwed into the threaded holes 32 and thus secure theelectrotypes to the assembly plate. When the electrotypes have bevelededges, the eccentric clamps shown in Fig. 9 are used. They are easilyadjustable and therefore are preferred. However, when the electrotypeshave square edges, as in Fig. 10, clamps with square shoulders such asare shown in Fig. 10 are used. Whatever adjustment is possible in thiscase to allow for variations in the size of the electrotype plates, isdue to the width of the clamp shoulders. After the electrotypes havethus been secured to the assembly plate, the pins 29 are removed and theplate is ready for the press, 1. e., for the first color printing.

We now come to the second color printing. The second master plate #2 isnow inserted between the base I and the transparent sheet I0, aligned inthe manner already described, namely so that the portion common to boththe master plates #I and #2 will be in exactly the same positionrelatively to the lines II, I2, a the corresponding common portion ofthe master plate #I was, after which the master plate #2 is made fast onthe base I, marking indices of reference are made with the markingpunches 2| as in the previous operation, and the entire procedurefollowed in the case of the first master plate is now repeated. It willbe clear that when the electrotypes #2 are finally secured to theassembly plate 21, they will be in exactly the proper relation to theelectrotypes #I and that the second printing will accurately registerwith the first.

It will be noted that this method of registering superimposed printingsrequires no extraordinary skill. All the steps of the operation are verysimple, with the exception of the alignment of the master plate underthe transparent sheet, which requires a certain amount of care and goodeyesight, but these are qualities which are not difficult to realize,especially with the assistance of a magnifying glass. In some case, as,for instance, when the master plate is very large, it may be advisableto number the lines II, I2, for easier identification.

What I claim is:

1. Method of registering superimposed printings in a multi-colorprinting process involving the use of a plurality of master plates andelectrotypes made therefrom, which consists in preparing anassemblyplate provided with a system of coordinated reference marks, supplyingsaid master plates with indices in definite relation to a portion commonto them all, converting the indices on said electrotypes correspondingto the indices on said master plates into reference marks registrablewith the reference marks on said assembly plate, placing theelectrotypes corresponding to one of said master plates on said assemblyplate in predetermined positions by registering the reference marks ofthe electrotypes with a predetermined set of reference marks on saidassembly plate, securing said electroplates to said assembly plate insaid predetermined positions, and repeating this operation for each oneof the other master plates.

2. Method of registering superimposed printings ina multi-color printingprocess involving the use of a plurality of master plates and elec--trotypes made therefrom, which consists in preparing an assembly plateprovided with a system of coordinated, equally spaced holes of uniformdiameter, marking reference points on said master plates in definiterelation to a portion com.- mon to them all, drilling holes in saidelectrotypes through the reference points corresponding to the referencepoints of said master plates, the holes in the electrotypes being of thesame diameter as the holes in said assembly plate and at a distance fromone another equal to the distance between the holes of said assemblyplate or to a multiple of this distance, placing said electrotypescorresponding to one of said master plates on said assembly plate inpredetermined positions by registering the holes in the electrotypeswith a set of predetermined holes in said assembly plate, securing saidelectrotypes to said assembly plate in said predetermined positions, andrepeating this operation for each one of the other master plates.

3. Method of registering superimposed printings in a multi-colorprinting process involving the use of a plurality of master plates andelectrotypes made therefrom, which consists in preparing an assemblyplate provided with a system of equally spaced holes of uniform diameterarranged in two sets of equally spaced parallel lines, one of said setsbeing displaced relatively to the other by a distance equal to half thedistance between two consecutive holes, marking reference points on saidmaster plates in definite relation to a portion common to them all andat a distance from one another equal to the distance between consecutiveholes in said assembly plate or to a multiple of this distance, drillingholes in said electrotypes of the same diameter as that of the holes insaid assembly plate through the reference points corresponding to thereference points on said master plates, placing the electrotypescorresponding to one of said master plates on said assembly plate inpredetermined positions by registering the holes in said electrotypeswith a predetermined set of holes in said assembly plate, holding saidelectrotypes properly aligned by inserting holding pins in saidregistered holes, securing said electrotypes to said assembly plate byadjustable clamps, removing said holding pins from said registeredholes, and repeating this operation for each one of the other masterplates.

4. In a marking and registering device for a multi-color printingprocess involving the use of electrotypes having reference marks indefinite relation thereto, an assembly plate provided with a coordinatedsystem of reference marks registrable with the reference marks of saidelectrotypes, means for aligning said electrotypes on said assemblyplate by registering the reference marks on said electrotypes with thereference marks on said assembly plate and holding said electrotypes inalignment, and means for securing them to said assembly plate in theiraligned positions.

5. In a marking and registering device for a multi-color printingprocess involving the use of electrotypes provided with reference holesin definite relation thereto, an assembly plate provided with acoordinated system of equally spaced holes of a diameter equal to thatof the holes in said electrotypes, the distance between said electrotypeholes being equal to the distance between consecutive holes in saidassembly plate or to a multiple of this distance, means for aligningsaid electrotypes on said assembly plate and holding them in theiraligned position by registering said electrotype holes withpredetermined holes in said assembly plate and inserting holding pins inthe registered holes, and adjustable means for securing saidelectrotypes to said assembly plate.

6. In a marking and registering device for a multi-color printingprocess involving the use of electrotypes having reference holes indefinite relation thereto, an assembly plate provided with a system ofequally spaced holes of uniform diameter arranged in two sets of equallyspaced parallel lines, one set being displaced relatively to the otherby a distance equal to half the distance between consecutive holes ofsaid system, the diameter of the holes in said electrotypes being equalto that of the holes of said system and the distance between saidelectrotype holes being equal to the spacing between the holes of saidsystem or to a multiple thereof, means for aligning said electrotypeson'said assembly plate and holdingthem in their aligned position byregistering said electrotype holes with predetermined holes of saidassembly plate and inserting holding pins in the registered holes,

and clamps for adjustably securing said electrotypes to said assemblyplate.

'7. In a marking and registering device for a multi-color printingprocess involving the use of electrotypes having reference holes indefinite relation thereto, an assembly plate provided with a system ofequally spaced holes of uniform diameter arranged in two sets of equallyspaced to the other by a distance equal to half the distance between theholes of said system, the diameter of the holes in said electrotypesbeing equal to that of the holes in said system and the distance betweensaid electrotype holes being equal to the distance between consecutiveholes of said system or to a multiple thereof, means for aligning saidelectrotypes on said assembly plate and holding them in their alignedposition by registering said reference holes of the electrotypes withpredetermined holes of said system by and inserting holding pins in theregistered holes, said assembly plate being further provided withthreaded holes intermediate said system holes, and clamping members forsecuring said electrotypes to the assembly plate having threadedportions screwable into said threaded holes.

WARNER. STEINBACH.

